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Answer:
Most rishonim (medieval halachic authorities) considered Christianity
to be avodah zarah. A notable exception were the Tosafists. They felt
that the trinity is shutfus (assigning partners to G-d). That the
Father is the Creater, and identiable with the Jewish G-d, and the
other persons of the trinity are minor deities that mediate. The
practical distinction is that while Jews are prohibited from believing
in shutfus, it is permitted to non-Jews under the covenant of Noah.
The Tosafists are a major force in Ashkenazic ruling. On their ruling,
many Orthodox Jews who work in jewelery sell crosses and crucafixes. A
necessary factor is the assumption that the overwhelming majority of
customers will be people who aren't Jewish (in the sense of
peoplehood, not just religion). Others do not rule like the Tosafists.
Another issue is whether the Tosafists' statement about the
Catholicism of their day applies to any / some / most of the plurality
of Christianities that exist today. For a pragmatic ruling, it's
something you'd need to discuss with a rabbi.
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Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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